Railroad-signal.



PTENTED DEC. fi,- NCIS.

B. G. LGMBARR. RAILROAD SIGNAL.

01mm: MLms SEM 22, 1906.

APPLE wmvfssfs A TTRNE YS -PTENTED DEU. 4, 1906,

LHUAD SIGNAL. [APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 251906.

2 SHBETBSEEET 2.

EaNEsrcYaUs LoMBAian,or rEoRIA, ItLiNoisp-: f f

Y l.ToA ttZZwhqm-t concern:

- Beit' known .that I, ERNEST Crans LOM- RAILRoAb-SIGNAL. l -f i BARD,a-citizen dfthe United. Statea'and a directions. I5 i .resident of Peoria, in the county of Peoria.

and Statel o f Illinois, haveinven'teda new and Improved"Railroad-Signal, of which the following is afulLclear, and exact description.

This invention-relates to railroad-signals of the type in which the signal is operated to erin case two'trains are on the sameftrackv-within'a given distance of each other, irrespective of whether they are 'going 1n the same; direction or in opposite Thesignal is entirely automatic in 'its operation andcomprises certain important Emeans for placing a torpedo and for explodlng the same, together with the necessary "partsland -electric wiring to operate in the y 2O mannerhereinafter set forth.

" Accordin 'torn invention'a train ma f lass g Y I P j freely along-the track without affecting the I' signal in anyway; but-should two trains get within thesame section the'torpedo-is im- 25 -mediately placed, and when either train gets withina short distance of said torpedo it is 4 1 exploded to warn'the engineer -of the impendingdanger.'u In ,connection withI the torpedoiplac-in'g' and'exploding device electric 3o 1 taneously therewit and serve `as an addi- 'ghts may 'be cm loved. t0 .Operate Simultionalv signal, such lights 'and the necessary connections therefornot being shown in the drawings. ,hf

Reference is to be hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifica-" tion, in'whic-h-similar characters of reference .indicate'corresponding-.parts in all the 4fig- '-'ures, 1n wh1ch-. t 4Q Figure l is a diagramshowing the relative arrangement of. parts and the necessary wirfor accomplishing. -thefresults desired.

lg,.` 2 is averti'c'alsecton through the torlio-placing device; Fig. 3 is a vertical -sectionjthrough lone form of the 'torpedoecploding devicejand Fig..4 is a vertical sec'- tion through one vofthe railroad-rails and-thel'mechanism lying adjacent thereto, whereby the device maybe operated by thepassageof v 'atrain along the track. Y In my roved system of railroad signal-v ing I provi ea plurality of signals 4and operatinf'r mechanism therefor at'points along the/ tracli approximately one mile apart andjpr'ovide an electric feedwire-.parallel to 'onel of the rails and adjacent thereto, f Alongside Speccationof Letters Patent. Application filed September 22, 1906. Serial No 335.728.'

shown in Fig. 4.

' agreed-Wire and adapted to be placed in communication l therewith upon the passage approximately two miles in length and exnate one, thus passing the adjacent ,signal without communicating therewith in any l wav. l

Referring to the drawing-s, in which a` speciiic embodiment of my invention 1s illustrated, I employ a main feed-wire 1, 'extending the entire length'of the ltrack and having shorter sections 2 2a 2b 2, &c., arranged closely 'adjacent thereto and adaptedto be placed in communication therewlthfby any,

suitable means operated by the passage'of the train.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated yoneform of circuit-closer which may begemployed and" which comprises a vertical plate 3, having a of a train are aplurality ofvshort'er wires 6o Vtending from each signal. to the'next alterl facing 4, of insulating material, carrying the mainv feed-wire l and two of the shorter wires, as 2 and 2a, which wires will herein aflter be referred' to as the two-mile wires, although it is evident that such wires may be of any length desired and depending upon I*the distance between lthe signals.

' Hinged tothe upper end ofthe plate 3 is a second plate .5, lying closelyadjacent to the railroad-rail 6 and in the path of the flanges' of the 'car or engine Wheels. Thel plate 5` carries a bridge 7, insulated therefrom,which latter is held away from the wire-'carrying plate 4 by a spring 8 `orin any other suitable manner.' This- 'spring holds the bridge v 7 away from the wires and prevents the passage of va current from the feed-wire to any of the others, while upon the passage of a train the flange of the' wheel onthe locomotive presses between the plate :5and the rail 6' and forces the bridge 7 into lcontact with all of Vthe wires, whereby a current may flow from the feed-wire l through the bridge 7 to each fof-the two-mile wires lying adjacent the feedwire.

Itis evident that may bee'mployed for closing the circuit from the feed-wire to the two-mile wires, and Idol l' not wish to be limited'to the specific form I Each of. the two-milei'wir'es isjprovided various different means i with a branch 9 atI apointintermediateits i' I length, which branchconn'ects withwires 10,-.

extending approximatel'yv one'mile in each dig rection fromsaid branch-.in other words, to;

points in the Avicinitiesofthe ends of thgtwos s mile-wire. At the end of each of the wires 10 there is placed an 'electromagnet 11, the opposite end of whose coil is grounded, so that u n the closing of the'vircuit by the assage o a train the .current may flow from t e feedwire 1 to `one of the two-mile wires and thence to the branch 9 and wires-10, to the electromagnets 11, andto the ground.v As each Wire'10 terminates at a point in' the. vicinity of the end of the two-milewire and is connectedthereto through the wires 10 .and 9 at-.a point only a very short distance from-the next two-mile wire, it will be seen that .the electromagnets 11- are grouped in pairs at points approximately `a mile apart along'the track.- vIneach pair the electromagnets are arranged closely together, and the two armatures12 thereof are connected togetherl at a point intermediate the two.

One of the stops 13, in engagement ,with

.which one ofthe armatures is forced upon signal-placing device, and the opposite end.

of the coil on this 'electromagne't is also grounded. It will thusbe noted that it is impossiblefor a current to get from the Ieedwire to the electromagnet 1.7 in a signal'withv box 18,

outpassing from the stop 13 to one armature and from the other armature tothe sto 15. This necessitates the energizing of bot Y of the electromagnets 11 in the same pair, and as each of the electromagnets in any one.

pair is connected to.- a separate 'two-mile wirel it will v e ,seen that it is necessary for two adjacen ltwofmi'le wires to be simulta neously place'd in contact with the 'feed-wire in order tonen ize the magnet 17.

Various speci c forms of signals maybe so located as to beoperated upon the energizing of the magnet 17; butI prefer to employ the v.sig-nal illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, which comprises a torpedo-storage chamber and means for placing the torpedo in position` to be discharged. The specific form of this, as illus- -tratedin the drawings, comprisesa casing or having apartition 19 located lin the upper part thereof andadaptedto support a' i vsl1de20', connected by an arm 21 to the core 22 of the` solenoid-magnet 17. Atorpedo- 23 of any suitable Form supplying chamber the' top ofthe casing 18 isv supported above and 'is in opencommunication therewith by a passage of substantially the same size as one of the torpedoes. The slide y carries-up- Wardl extending iianges 25, lforming aJ cham er of substantially the same size as a -tor edo and so located that when the slide 20 isavvn back lto lthe limit 'ot :its'movenient b the action ofa' suitably spring 26 the` l-c amber formed by theflanges or walls 2-5 is' "in direct communication 'with the passage' leading romy the torpedoQstorage-'charnben The partition 19. is providediwith an-opening 27 out of alinement with thev assage from theA storageechamber, but in ahnement with the outlet'rom .the chamber in the torpedo -carrierfor slide when vthe .latter is moved to its opposite extreme positionT by the-action of the magnet 17 and in opposition to the action of the" spring 26. To prevent-the remaining torpedoes in lthe storagechamber 23 Jrom falling into the casing .when the magnet 17 is energized andthe slide moved, I provide a iiange 28.0n one ofl the walls 25 .and adapted to close the-discharge-passage from' the torpedo-storage chamber 23.

Within the main casing and below the par tition'19l is a conduit 29 of a size designed to receive a single torpedo and conduct it to the firing-mechanism. .The up er end 3()` of' the conlduitfis hinged or pivotedp to the main por' tion `andis connected to the core .31' of a second magnet '32,which'when energized draws the upper end of the conduit into .communication with the/passage `27 of'thepartition 19 and permits/a torpedo'in the carrier to -drop downjthev conduit' if the Aca rrierhas been pre- .'moved by the ener net 17. -One sidewall o t eh'inged section adapted'to'c'lose the passage 27 and revent a torpedo falling fromthlecarrier w en thehinged'section 30.h as'not been moved to the and, furthermoreby reason of the mechanl ism about tobe described itwill be seen that the magnet 17 must be energized before the magnet32; otherwise the device is locked, and the passage of a torpedo is prevented.l This safety mechanism comprises an arm 34, pivoted on asuitable support at the opposite end of the device from the conduit 29 and. having'one end'bent at an angle and adapted to pass through an 'opening 35 in the part-i- "when a suitable magnet 37 is energized and the opposite ,end 38 of the lever-arm 34 is drawn down by said magnet. Uponthe energizing of the magnet 37 the end of the arm 34 is raised in opposition to the action of a suitable spring 39, and theend .in passing through the openings and locks the slide of the partition and prevents the movement thereof by themagnet17. The nmgnei '37 may be connect-ed in series with the magnet 32 by meansof'a wire 39,.:1nd the opposite end' of this Awire is grounded. A Thus if the magnet -32 is energized before the magnet 17 tht` pivoted section30 oft-lie' conduit will beVA ofthe conduit i's provided with a flange 33',

'proper position-by the energizing of the Inagl I fn o zing of the magtion 19 andan opening 36 in the slide 20 signal W, both ofthe electromagnets 32 of 4 .those Signals will be'en'ergized, and-a torpedo will immediately drop at bothpoints to the receivin -chamber 42 and be 'immediately exploded just as the two engineers are. assifng the :two points. The exploding, o the signals war'ns the en ineer on one train that there is a train ahea on the same track and not less than a mile away, so that he may iir; stantly :ap ly hisbrakes and bring the tra 'to a stop; ut there is no danger of colliding with the other train, which has vbeen similarly warned.. the train reaches the end of any Forty-foot wire it operates the electromagnet 3'? simultaneously with the operating of the` electromagnet 32 but if the electromagnet 17 has been previously operated by two trains on the two adjacent twomile wires the operating of the electromagnet 37 will have no effect Whatever, for the end. of the arm 34 will merely abut against the slide after the latter is moved, so that the .openings 35 and 36 no longer are in alinement.

They oved signal system above 4described is equally as efficient for notifying engineers of trains traveling in the same direction 'as it is for Warning engineers approaching each other, for as soon as one train catches up to within a gwen distance of the one a ead it :operate lthe signals in the same manner as though the train ahead were .travcling inthe oppcsitej'direction, and the' enl gineer of the back train is warned to slow up.

The device herein describedis designed for an automatic o eration of thelsignals in case of danger; but 1t is evident that each one' of the signals may be connected to the adjacent station and adapted tol be controlled by a atchers or telegraph operators desk, and

key, whereby the train jydespatcher.- or telegraph .o erator may place the torpedo at any particu ar signal he desires and cause the discharge ofthe torpedo when atrain approaches the signah For accomplishing this I provide a branch Wire 47 leading from the feed- Wire to a plurality of keys at the train desom this a plurallty of wires 48 extend to the several wires 16, which lead to the torpedoplacing electromagnet 17. By pressing any one of the keys the operator thus permits the passage of a current from the feed-wire through the branch wire 47 and the desired Wire 4:84 to energize the electromagnet 17.

As the train apiproaches this signal and reaches the end o the wire 40 a current will pass to the electromaonet y312 and cause the -dischar e ofthe torpedo to warn the engineer to stop is'train.

If desired, all of the keys at the station may be pressed and held in their pressed position to stop all trains along that section of the road-in case of any general danger.

Various chan .es may. be made inthe specific form of t e apparatus which' I have shown for carrying outrnyimproved' but without departing'fromjtherspirit lof my mvention. -ff

Havingthus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A railroad-signal, comprising means adapted to be operated by a train at one point on thetrack, similar means adapted to beoperated by a train-atanother -oint on the track, and-means controlled by 't e coperation of bothjof the first-mentioned means for -placingand automatically firing a torpedo.

2. A railroad-signal, comprising lan electromagnet, means whereby 1t may be energized when a train is on a certain portion of the track, a second electromagnet, means for energizing said second magnet when a second train is on another portion of the track, and means controlled by the coperation of the two .magnets for permitting the placing and automatically firing of 'a torpedo.

3.' A railroad-signal, comprising an electromagnetadapted to be energized when a train is on a givenportion ofthe track, a second' electromagnet adapted to be energized when a second train .occupies another portion of the track, meansada ted to be controlled by the cooperation o't etwo magnets for p acing a torpedo, and independent means for ejecting sald` torpedo.

4. A railroad-signal, comprising a feed- Wire located adjacent a railway-track, a plurality of separate Wires. adjacent thereto and adapted to be placed in electrical contact therewith by the passage .of a' train along the track, an -electromagnet controlled by each of said Wires, and means controlled by the coperation of two of said magnets and the approach of atrain to-said signal for firing a torpedo. e

5, A railroad-signal, comprising a feed- Wire located adjacent'one rail or'y a railroadtrack, a plurality .of wires placed 4end to end and located adjacent said feed-wire, means fory conducting a current from the feed-Wire to each of said wires in succession as a train moves alongdhe track, means controlled .by the passage -of a current simultaneously through two adjacent'wires for placingthe signal in operative position, and means controlled by the approach of a trainto the end of one of said wires for operating the signal.

6. A railroad-signal, com V'rising a feedwire two wires located aral el thereto and insulated therefrom, eac osaid wires being "made up of sections, andthe sections of one wire s acing the gap between the'sections in loo `theot er wire, two electromagnets-connected I to each-of said sections and.one` .locatedadja cent each end thereof, and means controlled J wires located parallel thereto and adaptedtoV be placed in communication with said feed-- same wire and either train' reaches the vicinity of the signal.

7. A signal, comprising a feed-wire, two

wire by the 'passage of atrain, each of said wires being made up 4of separate sections, an electromagnet'located adjacent each end of each section and in communication theref with, means controlledby thercoperation of two-adjacent magnets for placing a signal in operative position, whereby the signal may be operated when -two trains are on the same track and opposite adjacent sections and magnet, meansf for permittin .atorpedo, means controlled. y thepresence 4 of a train adjacentsaid signal for energizing' torpedoes therefrom,

tro l either train --approaches said signal, and

'means 'for Apreventing the operation of the signal as a signal-train passes from one sec-' .tion to the next.

' 8. Arailroad-signal, comprising two elec. tromagnets adapted to be independently en'-,

er'gized by trains at different points .along the track, a third electromagnet, means whereby the simultaneous energizing of the two firstment-ioned magnets permits the energizing. of

the third electromagnet, means controlled by said third electromagnet for .placing 'a tor-l pedo, and independent 'means adapted to-be operated as the train'passes said signal for ejecting and iring said torpedo.'

9. A signal, comprising a' torpedo-storage receptacle, means controlled by the -resence of two trains in the vicinity thereo for re- -moving a torpedo therefrom, and means cori-l trolled'by the approach of a 'train to said'. signal for ejecti'ng and firing 'said torpd0,`

10. A railroad-signal, comprising a tor` pedo-storagereceptacle, means adapted to receive a torpedo therefrom, an electromagnet for controlling said torpedo-removing means, means controlledby thev presence of two trains on the track and. atr suitable distances from-said'signal fore'nergizing said the ejection of said magnet, andmeans for automatically discharging said torpedo .after it has been ejected.

11. A railroad-signal, comprising a tor- 'pedo-'storage receptacle, means for removing said means being con'- ed by the presence'of` two trains at suitable distances 'from said-receptacle, means controlled by the approach of a train'to said receptacle for ejecting a torpedo therefrom, means. for automatically discharging said torpedo after its ejection, and' `means forpreventing the ejection of a torpedo when but a single train passes'along the track.

1 2. Arailroad-signal, comprising a casing a 6 o torpedo-storage receptacle located adjacent thereto, a receiver within said casing and in communication with said receptacle, electrically-'operated means for moving said 'rc- 'ceiver to separate one torpedo'fronr the re- 65 mainder, electricallyoperated -means for Y permitting the ejection of said separated tor-y pedo, and 'means for automaticallyiiring` said torpedo after its ejection.

13. A railroad-signal, comprising a torpedo having a cover and a body portion in..- sulated from eachother, a spark-plug within said tor-pedol and having the terminals thereof in contact with the body portion vand cover respectively, means vfor ej ecting said torpedo, and means adapted to receive said torpedo, said.' receiving means comprising two parts insulated .from each other, one -of said parts adapted to come in contact vwith the body of the receiver and the other part to come in Contact with the cover of said torpedo,`i vhere by an electric 'current may pass from one part through the` torpedo to the other part, thus causing a spark Within' the torpedo and eX-` ploding the same.

. 14. A railroad-signal, comprising a casing, u a torpedo-storage receptacle located adjaf cent thereto, means adapted to separate one .torpedo from-said. storage-receptacle, means for-operating said separating means, a con duit, one portion of which is. pivoted means' for movin said pivoted part to permit the ejection a tor edo which has been pre-.-v

viously separate and meansv for atomatj Y vically discharging said torpedo after itsejcc- 9 5 tion.-

' 15. Arailroad-signaLcompris'" a casing, having a torpedo-storage receptac e located adjacent thereto, an electromagnet adapted .to separate one torpedo therefrom, a' second oo electromagnet adapted to permit .theejec'ttion of s aid torpedo, land a third electrom'a'g-.- net'adapted to' prevent the removal of a tor'f .pedoyvhenV said third electromagnet is'ei'rerV l y gizedprior to the energizing of the first-men- ,195 tione magnet. v:

.1n testimony whereof I haves'igned my" name to .this specification inthe presence of twosubscribing witnesses.- l

j ERNEsTeoYRUs, LQMBARD.

Witnesses.

CLAIR W.' 'FAmBNL i j F. D. AMMEN. 

